Dreaming of a white Christmas? According to the world-famous Farmers’ Almanac, many Americans just may get that wish this year.

One of the most common questions the editors of the Farmers’ Almanac field each year is whether or not a given location will have a white Christmas. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the overall chances of a white Christmas are statistically quite slim for most areas of the United States. Mid-Atlantic cities like New York City and Philadelphia get snow on Christmas only about 10 percent of the time, while Bostonians see snow on Christmas less than 23 percent of the time, and even snowy locales like Chicago and Denver stand only a 50 percent chance of having a white Christmas.

Though winter officially begins on Monday, December 21, some areas have already seen their share of wintry weather, with icy temperatures and heavy snow descending earlier than usual along portions of the East Coast and central Plains. The 2010 edition of the Farmers’ Almanac’s frigid forecast for the rest of the season offers no respite in sight, especially for states in the center of the country. While that prognosis may sound bleak to some, the good news is that a white Christmas may be on tap for many regions this year, including New England, the Great Lakes, Plains states and the Rocky Mountains.

Old Man Winter’s grip will be tight this winter, but that hold will be mostly isolated on the middle of the country. This colder area at the center of the country will act like the ice-cold filling sandwiched between the relatively warmer coastal regions, says Peter Geiger, Philom., editor of the 193-year-old publication.

“Very cold and bitterly cold” is how the Farmers’ Almanac describes the winter in the Great Lakes, Plains, and South Central states, while temperatures on the East and West Coasts will be more in line with average to normal winter conditions. For residents of the East Coast, who bore most of the brunt of last winter’s fury, this may be good news, but the prediction of an “ice cold sandwich” is sure to send chills down the spines of Midwesterners.

The Farmers’ Almanac is calling for heavy snow in the Great Lakes and Plains regions this winter, with a rainy season in the South, and close to normal precipitation in most other regions of the country.

While nearly three-quarters of the country is expected to see near or below average precipitation this winter, significant snowfalls are forecast for parts of every zone. Residents of Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states can expect some a major snowfall in mid-February, with possible blizzard conditions in New England.

“People on the coasts shouldn’t think they’re off the hook just because we’re predicting milder winter weather for them. Shovelry is most certainly not dead,” warns Geiger.

The Farmers’ Almanac bases its long-range weather forecasts on a top-secret mathematical and astronomical formula that figures in sunspot activity, tidal action, the position of the planet in relation to the Sun, as well as a number of other factors. Faithful readers of the Farmers’ Almanac estimate that its annual weather forecast is accurate between 80 and 85 percent of the time.

22 Responses to “2010 Farmers Almanac Predicts Extreme Cold”

My experience with global warming was in Alaska in 1999. We hiked up a glacier and the park service had placed sign at points along the way where the glacier had been before its’ retreat in centuries before. That’s right; centuries ago the glaciers were incrementally melting and retreating. So glabal warming predates the industrial age.
Guess Al Gore only started paying attention to the signs that started in the last part of the last century.

Barbara,
first, I apologize for the tone of my last post, pretty rude. But I still can’t understand why you choose to believe this report (and sure, someone in government long ago might have been interested in these questions. Or the report could be a fake, how would anyone know?
The facts are that research is conducted by thousands of universities and institutions worldwide, and is published and peer-reviewed also internationally. The US is really only one country among hundreds, though disproportionally wealthy. If you don’t believe ANY science from anyone, you are really in some sort of paranoid place, and really out of touch with the way the world actually works. Your skepticism is apparently unsupported by facts, but you don’t accept that because it is all in the report! But you are very credulous of something that is almost impossible: that “the government” is some cold, impersonal unified entity that is capable of such a massive, global deception. In fact, it is composed of thousands of people, many elected by the population, others appointed by elected representatives, and others hired for their expertise. They are almost all civilians and not cleared for state security secrets. Climatology has progress unimaginably since the International Geophysical Year when I was born. In our lifetime, we have learned incredible (BUT TRUE] secrets of the structure of everything from the universe to the atom, and have discovered innumerable facts about how the earth and its climate system works. When I was a child, we didn’t even understand plate tectonics although it had been proposed, but now we do. As we discover new, smaller facts, the pieces fall into place and we clarify the big picture. Just as we are certain that the theory of evolution explains how life has developed (and no, it can never be ruled out that a better explanation could be true, but none has been proposed, tested, and found to be better to fit the facts.) Similarly, we certainly know, from all the publications in the literature of science world-wide, and from all the newer and better (more detailed) observation platforms we now have, that climate change is a fact until something can disprove it but still fit the facts as well as the currently accepted theory does. Not likely at this point. Climate change has always taken place over the course of earth history, but the current round is clearly predominantly caused by human use of fossil fuels. Do you have a better explanation? Would you be brave enough to subject it to scientific scrutiny? Do you know any scientists? I would love to hear what you say after a visit to Dr. Keeling at the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii. See if you can visit and interview the researchers about what they are doing. If you think it is an elaborate hoax, well, you would be pretty gullible.

Have you ever heard of the principle of Occam’s Razor? It is the idea that for any question (particularly in natural science), the simplest explanation that fits the facts is the most likely. For the US government conspiracy to be true would require an extremely large number of people on board, IN ALL COUNTRIES, FOR MORE THAN A LIFETIME! Billions of dollars on fake technology to make it sound plausible. Hundreds of industries in the private sector in on the secret, with thousands of workers making instruments of research and measurement that really just perpetuate the US Gov’t lie. If you think that is more likely than the simpler explanation that the theory has borne out, that climate change and environmental pollution actually fit the facts, then keep reading the Farmer’s Almanac and living with medieval superstitions. I believe that most people got it right, and it is your beliefs that are probably incorrect. Hey, it is a free country!

Roscoe: “The final candidate for a useful global threat was pollution of the environment. This was viewed as the most likely to succeed because it could be related to observable conditions such as smog and water pollution– in other words, it would be based partly on fact and, therefore, be credible. Predictions could be made showing end-of-earth scenarios just as horrible as atomic warfare. Accuracy in these predictions would not be important. Their purpose would be to frighten, not to inform. It might even be necessary to deliberately poison the environment to make the predictions more convincing and to focus the public mind on fighting a new enemy, more fearful than any invader from another nation – or even from outer space. The masses would more willingly accept a falling standard of living, tax increases, and bureaucratic intervention in their lives as simply “the price we must pay to save Mother Earth.” A massive battle against death and destruction from global pollution possibly could replace war as justification for social control.” (G. Edward Griffin)

I suggest you read this article. It is long, but very good: Report from Iron Mountain; Using fear to make people subservient to government (http://farmwars.info/?p=4881). And when you say “we measure it,” exactly who are you including in “we?” Do you do this yourself? Or are you relying on mainstream government-bought climate catastrophe escalators?

Wow. You guys are pretty credulous, while being unbelievably gullible about conspiracy theories! What are your rules of evidence here? “Faithful readers of the Farmers’ Almanac estimate that its annual weather forecast is accurate between 80 and 85 percent of the time.” How many faithful readers? How did they estimate? What about the unfaithful readers, or actual meteorologists and climatologists? Do you know the difference between weather and climate? How much have you studied about palaeoclimate? Do you understand that the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere is increasing yearly — we measure it! Do you know that the greenhouse effect of CO2 and other trace gases has been understood physically since the 1850s, and that global warming was correctly predicted since the 1890s (although we know much more now and have a better understanding of many aspects of climate of course — it is one of the most studied areas of science globally for several decades now. Get an education, read books by people who know about it, not repeated memes of bloggers who just feel your take on this in their gut, just seems like common sense. Science is actually how we find out what is true and what is not, but I doubt very much that you would believe it, you are too busy promoting your ideology and crazy-assed skepticism. May I have a tin foil hat please? Wak Waaak Waaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkk!!!!
Thanks for listening.

I understand the confusion, it was hard for me to understand, but we are not going to have to worry. We wont see it, when it happens and maybe it is the path mother nature is supposed to take. The caps will melt and the oceans will warm evenly which will create havoc on the plant. then our grandchildren will see the ice age comeback. So while we wont have to worry, the weather is going crazy, and maybe this is normal.

Also, for the person that said the heat increases the metabolism, well that is not correct. The cold is what increases your metabolism, the body has to work harder to keep us warm and it has been proven that taking walks in the cold weather will drop weight faster than during the summer. And I am looking for the property in Georgia that will become beach front property to will it to my son for his children. lol Its life people. Just roll with it.

Barbara, I think I owe you an apology. I looked at the data you cited, and the data it cited, and the data behind that data, and it turns out that you are right! Antarctic ice is getting thicker in the middle while it melts around the edges. Other ice sheets, such as that in Greenland, are thinning, but the Antarctic ice sheet is the biggest player and as long as it is growing the sea levels should not rise dramatically. Natural systems are so complicated that you can’t predict their behavior by looking at one or two indicators. Even so, I will keep an eye on the Antarctic ice sheet and urge you to do the same. If it ever starts to melt, you might consider buying some beachfront property in Georgia. (And never again will I think of the global warming debate as a fight between cigar-chomping neanderthals and tree-hugging hippies. In the last few days I’ve become more open-minded. Thanks!)

So, the peer reviewed literature, both extant at the time of the AR4 as well as published since the release of the AR4, shows that there has been a significant increase in the extent of sea ice around Antarctica since the time of the first satellite observations observed in the late 1970s. And yet the AR4 somehow “assessed” the evidence and determined not only that the increase was only half the rate established in the peer-reviewed literature, but also that it was statistically insignificant as well. And thus, the increase in sea ice in the Antarctic was downplayed in preference to highlighting the observed decline in sea ice in the Arctic. http://wp.me/p7y4l-4hU

Barbara, I respectfully suggest that you’re missing the point here. I am very skeptical of our government’s ability to predict anything and twice as skeptical about statistics. (Figures don’t lie, but liars often figure.) What I don’t doubt is that the polar ice caps are melting and the oceans are rising. That’s a stone cold fact unaffected by our emotions. Check out the collapse of the Larsen Ice Shelf at http://earthobservatory.nasa.g.....arsenb.php
My point is that it doesn’t matter whether it’s man or mother nature at work. If the coastlines flood we’ve got a problem.

Interesting that you would respond to an article on the Farmers Almanac predicting extreme cold. Are you attempting to argue that the Farmers Almanac may be all wrong, and that it is really getting warmer due to “global warming”? Sorry, the temps don’t lie, but government statistics do. It seems that you still believe the lies perpetrated by mainstream media regarding “global warming.”

What I find fascinating is that people who argue about global warming act as if the winner of the argument gets to be right. The glaciers are melting. Satellite photos don’t lie. 90% of the world’s population lives on a coastline. When the coastlines of the world turn into one big hurricane Katrina-ed swamp it won’t matter whether man or mother nature is to blame. All that will matter is how our children or grandchildren are going to deal with it.

I live in Pacific Northwest (wash. state). We rarely see any changes in our weather. When I was much younger, we received a lot of snow in the winter. I don’t know if it is global warming or not. I do know in the last 20 to 25 years our weather has been much milder. We have had some winters with snow and ice, but nothing like it was years ago. When I have seen a farmers almanac, it doesn’t have much about this part of the country. Is the change in our area caused by global warming ?

Global Warming is a money-making hoax generated by bought scientists who faked data. Search “Climate-Gate”. I’m a NY’er who moved to western Europe 6 years ago. It was farely mild here in the winters, until last year. Winter came fast and hard and didn’t stop. Summer started REALLY in the end of June. Before that, the wind was cold though the sun was blistering (normal here). Last week, we had 2 nights of frost. It was still September. This week, we’re back up to almost 70! And if you’re wondering, chemtrails are here also, every day (mostly). I had no harvestable tomatoes, or chinese cabbage, or brussel sprouts. The pear tree made NO pears. The grape vine made less than half of it’s normal harvest. The soar berries (black current and wild blackberries) were a good harvest. We need more bitters in our diet anyway! I planted kale last week… let’s see how it goes!

I don’t think Global warming is as big as we make it out to be. If you look back to our history of our weather you will see, it is cold one day and warm the next. We have always had hurricanes, tsunami tons of weather related problems. We all just pay more attention to it because of “global warming” Animals always migrate, The Ice Caps freeze and melt things happen. I’m not saying it’s a hoax or something but I do think it’s made out to be worse then it really is to get people’s attention. It has so I just say let those who believe it’s the end in 2012 and were all going to die because were killing the earth believe I on the other hand just believe things happen.

sharon is kind of right, global warming leads to something else after all. You see precipitation will increase dramatically over the next thousand years and then we’ll eventually come to another ice age

Oh, I believe in global warming. . been happening since the last ice age.
While I can’t believe the industrial revolution has slowed warming (it surely isn’t helping) it definitely is NOT the cause. Global warming is not man-made and will not be stopped by man. We are guests on this planet and some would argue “parasites”. “Global Warming” is real and the “green movement” is another granola eater movement that cannot be proven or “disproven” in our lifetimes so they can get away with all their allegations merely ’cause it’s crap. Isn’t it reassuring to know that we’re gonna make a bunch of social fat-cats (Gore, Obama, VanJones, on-and-on) rich over it though?
Nice to see big govt crawling into my house and looking around in my rectum to find new ways to finince their latest “hunch”. Strip govt down to what it should be. . MINIMALIST. No more premium insurance and fat retirements. serve for the common good not for personal gain.

My growing season has shortened to around 90 days, give or take. The night freeze does not go away until mid-June, and starts again around the end of September, beginning of October. The only things that grow well are root veggies and cabbage varieties unless you have a greenhouse.

Hey, global warming is a hoax. First, higher temperatures are better for humanity as higher increase the rate of metabolism which will result in increases in food produced by agriculture to feed humanity, food produced by trees to feed animals in the forests and food produced by algae to feed animals in the ocean.
Higher temperatures are a positive thing and to say that the world will come to an end is a big lie. On the other hand, what we are realy having is colder summers and longer winters, which are negatively affecting our gardening and landscaping businesses in New York. All global warming fanatics should be held accountable in court for lying and trying to destroy humanity. Hey sharonsj, if you believe so much in global warming, will you put your live and property on the line on a bet. I swear on my children and can assure you that you are just another victim of the comunist dogma that has taken over green peace and disguise themselves as environmentalists. Please go back to school, read about metabolism & temperature, photosynthesis & CO2, jet streams, El Nino, tree rings, soil formation and plant production and protection, sun spots, plate tectonics. You will thank me. Oh, may God bless you and open your eyes to real, solid facts from science and history!

Let’s see. Farmer’s Almanac predicts extreme cold. Everyone I know is freezing due to record cold temperatures across the country. The sun has no sunspot activity, which indicates cooling. But I’ll believe the eco-terrorists and Al Gore, who stand to make billions on “green” technology and carbon tax to support “global warming” from falsified scientific data. Sure, why not? Tell you what, you pay my carbon tax bill, okay? Meanwhile, stock up on plenty of down comforters because this global warming thing sure can bring the temperature down. After all, white is black, wrong is right, and polar bears can’t swim.

Global Warming is real, the glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, and animals and fish are migrating (if they can) as a result. What folks like you–who think global warming is a hoax–don’t understand is that global warming doesn’t mean that everything warms up and there is no cold weather. Global warming means erratic weather, more storms, more highs and lows.